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28 March 2024

Top-notch talent set to light up UAE's events calendar

The first World Stage event features Spanish Flamenco guitarist Tomatito, who plays the Cultural Foundation's Al Dhafra Auditorium at 8.30 pm on Thursday. (SUPPLIED)

Published
By Keith J Fernandez

Any notions of a downturn have been consigned to the past as the UAE looks ahead to one of its busiest calendars yet.

Already, the last two months of the year are looking to host top acts such as Backstreet Boys, The Killers and the New York and Vienna Philharmonic Orchestras. And three new events announced yesterday will now also vie for residents' disposable income.

Beginning Thursday, the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage will host weekly live concerts and performances from some of the world's most gifted contemporary music and dance acts. Flamenco dance king Joaquin Cortes, Afghan tabla prodigy Salar Nader, contemporary British choreographer Akram Khan and 25-million-album-selling Chinese superstar Lin Cheng are all set to light up the capital's performing arts venues as part of World Stage Live 2009-2010.

"Over the 21st Century, the invention of file sharing, low-cost international air travel and common access to global communication among artists and the general public has given rise to "cross-over" music. Musicians from diverse cultures can readily access recorded music from around the world, see and hear visiting acts from other cultures and visit other countries to play their own music, creating a melting pot of stylistic influences," said Abdulla Al Amri, Director of Culture and Arts Department at ADACH, in explaining the genesis of the event.

The first World Stage event features Spanish Flamenco guitarist Tomatito, who plays the Cultural Foundation's Al Dhafra Auditorium at 8.30 pm on Thursday.

Also in the capital, Flash Entertainment has announced a UAE version of legendary British dance festival Creamfields on December 11. For one night, Abu Dhabi will host some of the world's most well-known dance acts across multiple arenas to a crowd of thousands, organisers said in a statement to Emirates Business.

"We will offer an unprecedented line up of the best international DJs to a hungry crowd who are used to seeing their favourite dance DJs play sets in the region but never together in an event on this scale. Hosting Creamfields Abu Dhabi will ensure the city instantly becomes recognised as a key destination on the dance festival circuit," said John Lickrish, Managing Director of Flash Entertainment. He did not reveal which artists will headline the Creamfields Abu Dhabi bill.

Creamfields originated in Daresbury outside Liverpool in the UK in 2001 and has been exported to 13 countries in recent years. Also announced yesterday was the return to Dubai of Ali Campbell, frontman for the Grammy-nominated British reggae band UB40. Tickets for the gig, which takes place on November 20 at the Irish Village in Dubai, have gone on sale from Dh225 per person.

Campbell is expected to belt out hits such as Red Red Wine and Can't Help Falling in Love as well as songs from his new album, Flying High. "I am looking forward to playing all the UB 40 hits as well as my own material when performing in Dubai on November 20," he said.

 

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